KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office has recently been made aware of a new scam in our area. According to officials, the caller will tell you that you have missed a court summons and have a warrant out for your arrest. The caller will then request some sort of payment over the phone and give you specific instructions on how to pay. Authorities say all of these calls are a scam and you should simply hang up the telephone. Lately, these scammers have been using the name of Sgt. Kevin Mobley of the Tyler Police Department. Several other investigators and law enforcement officials have been named in the past. Continue reading Officials warn of phone scam

TYLER — The City of Tyler proposes $9.48 million in street and traffic improvements funded in the fiscal year 2023 budget and Half-Cent Sales Tax fund. According to a news release, this includes $2,060,000 in projects to be paid for by the Quality Street Commitment Fund and $7,428,000 in improvements to be funded by the Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund in fiscal year 2023. The $2,060,000 includes $585,000 for repairs and upkeep of 14 miles of historic brick streets and $1.3 million for seal coat and crack seal work on 25 lane miles of city streets. “Modernizing our traffic system and keeping pedestrians safe are at the top of our list when it comes to streets and traffic,” said City Manager Edward Broussard as quoted in the release. You can click here to learn more about the proposed budget.

PALESTINE – Officials say three dogs have died after Palestine police removed a dozen dogs from a residence and a father and son were arrested. According to our news partner KETK, the rest of the animals were taken to a local humane society. Authorities say an investigation began after an officer observed the animals living in “awful conditions at the residence.” The two suspects face multiple felony and misdemeanor charges. “This is not a puppy mill,” said Palestine police Sgt. Tinsley. “This is some people that were trying to take care of these dogs, and they were struggling to take care of themselves, and the dogs were suffering greatly.” Continue reading Three dogs die after 12 were removed from Palestine residence, two arrested

ATHENS — Time has been granted by a Henderson County judge to appoint an investigator in the case of a fatal bus crash that occurred in Athens in 2019. According to our news partner KETK, during a hearing on Wednesday, defense attorneys motioned for the appointment of an investigator to the case. The presiding judge granted permission to the motion, giving 60 days to hire an investigator for the case. The discovery status hearing has been set for Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. 81-year-old John Stevens was charged in 2019 with criminally negligent homicide and injury to a child after a bus he was driving was hit by a train, killing 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injuring 9-year-old Joselyn Torres. The bus reportedly was pushed one-quarter of a mile before coming to a stop.

GILMER — 22-year-old Cody Wayne Crutcher has been sentenced in Upshur County to six years in prison for two counts of sexual assault of a minor — a girl who was Crutcher’s biological sister and was 14 at the time of the assaults. Officials say the case, out of the Kilgore area, dates to July 2020. They say the Gregg County DA’s office recused itself from the case due to threats the victim’s father made against multiple people involved in the prosecution and investigation of the case.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Housing Authority is accepting applications for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Applications will be accepted online at this link from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Aug. 18. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in LHA’s affordable housing program(s) or services, contact the Longview Housing Authority at [email protected].

TYLER — Residents and motorists in the Cambridge Road area in Tyler are urged to obey all detours and road closures while contractors continue with the construction on the extensive improvement project. Contractors are working in the area preparing to install water lines drainage infrastructure and begin laying the base layer of asphalt. Currently, Cambridge Road is closed from South Broadway Avenue to Bishops Gate Lane. Cambridge Road from Bishops Gate to Yale Drive is two-way traffic while from Yale Drive to Harvard Drive is a one-way road for eastbound traffic only. Detour signs, no left turn signs, road closure signs, and a message board are in place to warn motorists which direction to safely travel. Continue reading Cambridge Road construction continues; residents asked to obey detours, signs

SMITH COUNTY — About 15 dogs, a prairie dog, and a macaw were recovered from a property on CR 223 in southeast Smith County Monday as a result of a search warrant by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, officials said. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff’s Sgt. Larry Christian said the animals were placed in the care of Smith County Animal Control. Authorities say City of Tyler Animal Control assisted in the seizure. Christian said one Smith County Animal Control officer was bitten by a dog during the seizure and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Christian added that any animals located that weren’t being attended to were taken just “for their welfare.” He said the sheriff’s office is working diligently and has a detective working the case.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Nicholas Pet Haven has requested help placing 45-50 small dogs, remnants of what they said was a “puppy mill” in Cherokee County. According to our news partner KETK, the shelter says three to four dogs each were stuffed into many stacked up rabbit cages. All dogs have food and water, but need to be vetted, groomed, and more. Nicholas Pet Haven is reporting the owners are elderly, requesting help, and willing to surrender to reputable rescues. Breeds include Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Miniature Poodles, and many more. You can contact the nonprofit at 903-630-4242 or by email at [email protected].

TYLER – The son of a Tyler pastor who pleaded guilty to two theft of property charges was arrested Monday and is accused of stealing from the same elderly couple as his father. According to our news partner KETK, Jerome Anthony Milton, 27, was arrested on two charges of credit card abuse against an elderly person and was released on a combined $125,000 bond. During investigations into his father, Jerome Rocky Milton, investigators said they found the younger Milton had been using the same bed-ridden elderly couple’s cards at an ATM machine to make withdrawals. According to an arrest warrant, the pastor said “he would send Anthony in sometimes to pull money out of the ATM from the [couple’s] accounts.” However, when advised that his son could be facing criminal charges, the pastor said he did not know why his son would have made those transactions. Continue reading Son of Tyler pastor arrested, accused of stealing from same couple as father

TYLER — A Tyler gang member has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for a firearms violation, according to our news partner KETK. Bandon Deshun Hawkins, 36, plead guilty on Sept. 29, 2021 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced on Tuesday. According to court documents, in 2020 Hawkins was stopped while driving on Vine Street in Tyler and arrested on outstanding warrants. Officials said during the traffic stop, Hawkins threw a plastic bag containing marijuana from the vehicle resulting in a probable cause search. A pistol was found in the car during the search, and officials said further investigations found Hawkins to be a member of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips, a street gang. Continue reading Tyler gang member sentenced to federal prison

EDGEWOOD – Officials have released identities in a high-speed chase that began in Edgewood and ended in Forney. Police say the driver, Braylon Diamente Hicks of Forney, is a suspect in an Edgewood murder on Friday. The victim is named as Alyssa Beth Flores of Wills Point. According to our news partner KETK, Wills Point PD and a Van Zandt County DA investigator observed a dispatched call from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shooting and kidnapping that had just occurred in Edgewood, and the suspect was heading towards Highway 80. The pursuit continued south on FM 2965 to I-20, where the suspect then reportedly began traveling westbound at speeds over 120 mph. Authorities say the chase continued at high rates of speed, passing vehicles on the shoulders and weaving in and out of traffic through Kaufman County. Continue reading Identities released in murder, chase

TYLER — Although some portions of Smith County saw showers last week, it was not enough rain to consider lifting the burn ban, Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks reported Tuesday. The Commissioners Court received an update on drought conditions from Brooks, who said only some areas of the county received rain and it was not enough to ease fire danger conditions. “The conditions outside are disastrous for us right now,” he said, adding that they haven’t seen drought conditions like this summer since 2011. When some areas of the county received brief periods of rain, the moisture quickly dried up. And while some areas of the county saw rain, other areas did not, Brooks said. “We are still under a burn ban and I don’t recommend rescinding it,” he told the Commissioners Court. Click here for more details.

LINDALE — (UPDATE) Madison Adams was found in Kaufman County and safely returned to Smith County by CPS, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.  According to our news partner KETK, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported Madison Adams had been missing since Wednesday, Aug. 10. Adams is 16-year-old white female with brown hair and hazel eyes. She is about 5’2″ and 143 pounds, all according to the NCMEC.

TYLER/BULLARD — Tyler ISD has received a district Texas Education Agency accountability grade of “B” for the 2021-2022 school year. The district received a performance score of 88, up from the previous year’s (2019 was the most recent rating) 85 score, and an overall Met Standard rating. Schools and districts were labeled Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for 2020 and 2021. Meantime, the TEA recently released 2022 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) results for third through eighth grades and End of Course exams for ninth through 12th grades. Bullard ISD earned a district rating of “A” with a score of 95 and received 10 campus academic distinctions.

RUSK – According to documents, a Cherokee County commissioner who was arrested Friday night for driving while intoxicated and evading arrest acted aggressive with a trooper and refused a blood alcohol test. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Precinct 2 Commissioner Steven Norton, 51, who has since apologized for the incident, was arrested after a deputy was dispatched in response to a reckless driver. The deputy had been advised that a driver in a white truck had run people off the roadway, and witnesses said the truck almost struck several vehicles. “I proceeded to make an investigative stop to check the welfare of the driver,” the deputy said. “I then turned on the sirens and lights of my fully marked patrol unit but the truck did not come to a stop.” Continue reading Details released on DWI arrest of Cherokee County commissioner

TYLER – Officials say Khamila Tavion Bradford-Burnley, 25, of Tyler was arrested Friday in a fatal Rusk County crash last year. According to our news partner KETK, on Feb. 27, 2021, at 1:48 a.m., troopers responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on US 79, approximately 5.7 miles south of Henderson. According to officials, Bradford was traveling northbound and veered into the southbound lane, where she struck Jose Gustavo Servin, 23, of Henderson. Servin was pronounced dead at the scene and Bradford-Burnley was transported to a local hospital in serious condition.

KILGORE – In a Facebook post Monday, the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office issued a missing person alert for Britney Nichole Sharrer, 28, of Kilgore. According to our news partner KETK, officials say Sharrer was last seen at a residence on PR 3707 (Fox Creek RV Park) in the Kilgore/Gladewater area in July by her mother. Sharrer is approximately 5’4″ tall and weighs approximately 140-150 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. She has tattoos covering her arms and specifically has a tattoo of Winnie The Pooh on her left shoulder. Anyone with information on Sharrer’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office at 903-236-8400 or Investigator Prior at 903-236-8409. Reference case #C22-11326.

LINDALE — Smith County authorities say a missing person has been found alive at a residence on Hwy 110 extremely hot and thirsty. Authorities said he was receiving medical attention and will recover. On August 14 at 8:00 p.m., The Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man missing from FM 1253 near Lindale. He’s identified as Jose Cansino Ybarra, 63. Ybarra’s son told deputies they were attending a church retreat at this location when his father wandered off. The son advised that prior to notifying law enforcement, he and several of the retreat attendees had searched a large area including buildings, woods, and Ybarra’s room. Deputies, staff members, and concerned citizens began a search of the approximate 400 acre area, of which only 100 acres are developed. Continue reading Missing man found

LONGVIEW – A Longview city official who has unsuccessfully run for city council twice was arrested Sunday for possession with intention to promote child pornography. Bernd “Dutch” Deblouw, 37, was born in The Netherlands and moved to Texas after college, according to his campaign website. According to our news partner KETK, he was hired by the Longview Fire Department in 2010, but has since left the department and is now the owner of Longview I.T. Deblouw has served the city in multiple capacities, including as the president of the zoning board of adjustment, and public safety was a key issue for his campaign, according to his website. He currently serves on the planning and zoning commission. His bond for the child pornography charge has not yet been set.

EMORY — Authorities say around 5 p.m. Sunday, 30-year-old Sean Douglas Alsip was captured by the Texas Rangers. According to our news partner KETK, the Rains County Sheriff’s Office said Alsip was taken to the county jail without incident. Authorities had earlier said Alsip could be armed and dangerous. Officials said they had last seen Alsip with Monica Robertson on County Road 3150 before they ran off. Robertson was detained by law enforcement before Alsip was caught. Further details on the nature of the case weren’t immediately available.

EAST TEXAS — The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler released a new poll Sunday that asked Texas voters their thoughts about the November midterm elections, including the race between Gov. Abbott and Beto O’Rourke, and other issues affecting the state. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is maintaining a modest lead over Democrat Beto O’Rourke in the race for Texas governor. According to the new poll, Abbott has a 7-point cushion over O’Rourke, unchanged from a similar survey in May. Continue reading Texas voters weigh in on November midterm elections in new poll

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance will be performing base repair on SH 31 eastbound between FM 3053 and FM 1639. Crews will also be performing base repair on FM 349 westbound from just east of the intersection at FM 2276. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic on both jobs. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 3271 just off of SH 110. This will be under flagging operation. Also, a sweeper and herbicide unit will be in various locations throughout the county. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER – As classes resume, Tyler ISD shares a reminder to ensure the safety of children while loading and unloading school buses. School bus drivers will activate alternating yellow flashing lights between 100 and 500 feet before a stop. Distance will depend on speed and whether they are in a residential area or on a highway. Once they reach the stop, the driver will activate alternating red flashing lights and deploy stop signs from the side of the bus with flashing red lights on the signs. Traffic approaching from both directions must stop unless there is a physical barrier in the median between the flows of traffic, as shown in the diagram below. Click here for more details, and click this link for additional back-to-school information.

HONOLULU – A former Nacogdoches resident accused of identity theft and of possibly being a Russian spy is asking to be released on bail. According to our news partner KETK and a sister station in Hawaii, a legal expert said new information about the alleged KGB uniform presented as evidence may be enough for the judge to grant his request. The attorney for Walter Primrose makes several arguments for his release. Among them, he said the invisible ink kit found in his Kapolei, Hawaii, home, “is believed to be a toy purchased many years ago for entertainment.” More importantly he said, the KGB uniform worn by Primrose and his wife Gwynn Morrison in an old photo didn’t belong to them. The prosecutor sent an email to defense attorneys saying the photos of the couple in the uniform, meaning there was only one, was taken in the 90s, and “federal agents were given the alleged uniform.” Continue reading Attorney: New info on KGB uniform shows Texas man is not a spy

GLADEWATER – Officials say about 15 homes were evacuated Friday after a gas leak caused road closures on Lee Street including Willow and Briar Cove in Gladewater. The gas line was hit by contract crews according to Gladewater Fire personnel, who said the leak resulted in a partial neighborhood evacuation. According to our news partner KETK, officials said the homes were evacuated for safety and roadways were blocked while fire personnel worked to locate the source of the leak. Gladewater police and public works staffers were also on the scene helping with road closures. Fire officials say CenterPoint was able to “locate and cap the line then continue on to make the final repair.”

RUSK – A Cherokee County commissioner was arrested Friday night for evading arrest and driving while intoxicated. He has since apologized for the incident. According to our news partner KETK, Steven Norton, 51, said in an apology posted to his personal Facebook page that he “takes full responsibility for creating this incident.” Norton is the Precinct 2 commissioner and said he wants to apologize to his family, friends, constituents, and law enforcement personnel for his judgment on Friday night. “This is not who I am,” Norton said. “I promise with all my heart I had no intent to evade arrest. I didn’t see any lights until I was in my driveway.” Continue reading Cherokee County Commissioner arrested for DWI, evading gives apology

KILGORE — The City of Kilgore will temporarily convert the disinfectant used in the city’s water distribution system from chloramine to free chlorine beginning August 15 and ending around September 18. “For that month beginning Wednesday, said Public Works Director Clay Evers in a news release, “you may experience taste and odor changes associated with this type of temporary water disinfectant conversion.” Evers said public water systems are required to properly disinfect their water and maintain an adequate disinfectant residual in the distribution system. “Chloramine, free chlorine combined with ammonia, is what we normally use as a disinfectant because it persists for long periods while also limiting the formation of by-product contaminants,” added Evers in the release. Click here and scroll down to “Water system maintenance” for more information.

EDGEWOOD – A high-speed chase that began in Edgewood ended in Forney, and according to police, the driver is a suspect in an Edgewood murder on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, Wills Point PD and a Van Zandt County DA investigator observed a dispatched call from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shooting and kidnapping that had just occurred in Edgewood, and the suspect was heading towards Highway 80. The pursuit continued south on FM 2965 to I-20, where the suspect then reportedly began traveling westbound at speeds over 120 mph. Authorities say the chase continued at high rates of speed, passing vehicles on the shoulders and weaving in and out of traffic through Kaufman County. Continue reading Officials: Murder suspect leads police on chase with infant in passenger seat